TO meet Malacañang’s target to have the Bangsamoro basic law (BBL) passed before the President delivers his final State of the Nation Address on July 27 , congressmen are willing to work well into the night during the remaining session days until June 11 and even while Congress is on recess.
Cagayan De Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the special House committee on the Bangsamoro law, also said they were open for holding a special session with their Senate counterparts to make sure a final version of the law would be Congress’ approval on the morning of July 27.
“I am amenable to a special session if need arises,” he said.
On Wednesday, May 27 the House will start to tackle in the plenary the bill hammered by the 98-member ad hoc committee on the Bangsamoro basic law in three marathon hearings last week.
Rodriguez said the bill would go through the committees on ways and means and on appropriations on Tuesday, May 26, to approve the funding and taxation provisions of the BBL.
“It will go to the plenary and I expect us to deliver our sponsorship speeches on Wednesday at 4 p.m.” Rodriguez said.
He said the plenary would hold marathon deliberations to ensure the passage of the measure on second reading and on the final third reading.
“We will hold marathon hearings from June 1 to 4 and from June 8 to 11, that is Monday to Thursday and we are willing to start our deliberations at 10 a.m. and finish at 12 midnight,” Rodriguez said.
He said they would ask the President to certify the bill renamed the Basic Law of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region as urgent to fast track its passage.
He said the letter signed by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. would be sent to Malacañang on Monday.
Under the fast-tracked schedule, Rodriguez said the plenary would finish the discussions and eventually vote on the law by June 11, after which the House of Representatives would go on recess until the resumption of Congress sessions on July 27.
He said the target to have the law ratified in the morning of July 27 before President Aquino’s last State of the Nation Address (SONA) in the afternoon.
“That is very, very possible that we can have this approved because at 10 a.m. of July 27 we are going to have our session and then we will have a break to welcome the President at3 p.m. of July 27,” Rodriguez said.
“Precisely that is what we intend to do. The bicameral conference will already finish the conflicting provisions and iron them out. And then the ratification by each House of the Congress should be done when we resume at 10 a.m. on July 27,” he said.
Rodriguez could only appeal to the Senate to also approve the peace measure by June 11 and to work for reconciling a final version before the SONA.
Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on local government tackling the BBL, has said they cannot meet the June 111 timetable.
“We have no control over the timetable of the Senate. We would appeal to the Senate if they can likewise finish their consultations and debates by June 11, so that even after the end of the Second Regular Session we can meet during recess on the bicameral conference committee,” Rodriguez said. SFM/ABC